Combined valve for air and liquids



(No Model.)

J. T. LANGFORD.

. COMBINED VALVE FOR AIR AND LIQUIDS;

No. 507,661. Patented Oct. 31., 1893.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. LANGFORD, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED VALVE FOR AlR AND LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,661, dated October 31, 1893.

Application filed May 1'7, 1 8 93.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. LANGFORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Valve for Air and Liquids, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relatesv to improvements in combined valves for air and liquids and is particularly well adapted for use in Artesian well systems especially of the kind patented by me April 18, 1893, No. 495,812, in which individual connections are made between each Artesian well, the suction main and air exhauster pipe in the system as will hereinafter be more fully shown and described.

My improved combined valve for air and liquids,although particularly designed for the purpose above mentioned is equally well adapted for other purposes where it is desired to exhaust air or gases which may flow with liquids of any kind from natural or other sources.

The invention is carried out as follows,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents an end elevation of the improved valve. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line 33 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

The shell of the valve is preferably composed of three parts, namely, a lower or main shell A, an intermediate air chamber B and an upper valve-spindle guide C properly bolted or otherwise secured together as shown in the drawings.

The lower end of the shell A is open and there connected to adischarge pipe D preferably sealed in the liquid contents of the suction main in a manner as shown and described in my aforesaid Letters Patent.

Within the shell A is a valve seat A adapt ed to be closed by means of ahollow float valve E hereinafter to be more fully described. Above the valve seat A are one or more side openings connected to the well pipes F lead- Serial No. 474,518. (No model.)

ing to Artesian wells or other places containing water or other liquid more or less mixed with air or gas.

The air chamber B hasa valve seat B in its lower portion against which the hollow float valve E is adapted to be closed, either by its own floatability, or by the operation of a valve spindle hereinafter to be more fully described.

The air chamber B has above its seat B one or more side openings connected by means of one or more pipes G, G,to the air pump or other air exhauster for the purpose of exhausting the air that may pass from the well pipes F into the valve shell.

In the upper closed end of the air chamber B is secured a nut b in which works the screw threaded valve spindleHhaving a preferably reduced upper portion H arranged within the spindle shell 0 and having its upper end projecting through a suitable stuffing box 0 in the upper end of the said spindle shell 0 as shown in Fig. 2.

The spindle H may be turned by means of a wrench, wheel or handle attached permanently or temporarily to the upper end of the portion H as is common in valves or cut offs.

The screw threaded valve spindle H is extended downward as a preferably reduced portion H" passing loosely through the float valve E and extended some distance below the latter as shown in Fig. 2 so ast-o allow said float valve and spindle to move longitudinally one relative to the other. Above audbelow the said float valve E are secured to the spindle portion H a pair of stops h and h serving to force said float valve against the respective seats A, B, when the valve spindle is turned .to its limits to the right and left as the case may be.

For the purpose of preventing the crushing of the float valve when forced to its seats, I secure to the valve spindle above and below the nut 19, the stops h and h, which are adapted to be brought in contact with the upper and lower ends respectively of the nut b at or about the time the float valve is forced by the spindle projections h and h against the respective seats A and B. It will thus be seen that the float valve E may by the turning of the valve spindle be forced and held properly against the lower seat A to close the connection from the air exhaust pipe or pipes G and well pipe F to the discharge pipe D in case said well pipe should yield air or gas only, and also for purposes of examination and repair of wells. Or said float valve may be forced against the upper seat B in case it is desired to cut out the well pipe F from the air exhaust pipe or pipes G and to connect said well pipe directly to the discharge pipe D in case said well pipe should be found to yield water or liquid only, and also for purposes of examination and repair of wells. Or the valve spindle may be turned so that the lower stop h" is brought nearly up to the under side of the float valve E when it will be free to adjust itself by its own buoyancy between the upper and lower seats B, A, to the level of the liquid flowing from the well pipes F, thus automatically preventing the vacuum pump from drawing liquids intothe airchamher and connecting pipes G whenthe wells flow liquids freely, also preventing the main pump drawing air or gasesinto the main pipe when said well pipes F yield air or gas only. Or the valve spindle may be adjusted so as to allow the float valve to close against one of the seats without closing against the other as may be desirable when the well is intermittently yielding liquid and gas or air.

In my aforesaid patent, I usethree valves or cut bits for each well pipe, namely: one valve or cut off on the well pipe and two others, one above and the otherbelow the place where the well pipe connects with the pipe leading from the suction main to the air exhauster.

In my present invention, I make use of a single float valve adapted to close against seats arranged above and below the well pipe orifice thus simplifying the construction and rendering the valve automatic in its action as well as providing means for positively closing it against its upper or lower seats for purposes of control and examination and repair of wells, and also for the maintenance of a higher vacuum in the air chamber and connecting pipes G.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim-- 1. The herein described combined water and air valve consisting of a lower liquid chamber shell having a valve seat and discharge opening below the latter, an upper air chamber shell having a valve seat, an air exhauster pipe leading from said air chamber, a supply pipe orifice between the valve seats and a float valve arranged upon an adjustable spindle and adapted to automatically or positively close against either of the seats, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described combined water and air valve consisting of shells A, B, and their respective valve seats A, B,a supply pipe entering between said seats and an air exhauster pipe arranged above the upperseat combined with a float valve, a longitudinally adjustable valve spindle having stops for limiting the automatic adjustment of said valve and stops for limiting the adjustment of said valve spindle,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 10th day of May, A. D. 1893.

JOHN T. LANGFORD,

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, ALICE A. PERKINS. 

